Vision.

Today's ten hours of meetings resulted in the draft of our group's vision. This is to shape our final projects, but was crafted like a sort of manifesto. Ten hours of crafting this was in no way fun. We haggled over words, compromise, tone, everything.

I view this struggle we've been having to try to get everyone's voices heard while maintaining coherency, specificity, and personality as a reflection of broader systems of democracy. What's sustaining me through all these meetings is the thought that if we can't make this work here -- where we all have access, education, shared touchstones, and some semblance of equality -- when will this broad sense of consensus and democracy ever work?

Without further ado, our vision for fall 2007:

We are a group of individuals from diverse backgrounds, uniting in a place that is not our own. We have come to see that issues parallel each other and transcend borders. We recognize the interconnectedness of local and global struggles. We acknowledge that our local actions have implications on a global scale and accept the responsibility that entails.

As a group of global citizens and life-long students, we cannot deny the problems in the world. We see the deterioration of traditions and the exploitation of natural resources by systems that limit choice. We see political, social and economic institutions that fail to fulfill their responsibilities to represent people and the environment. As a result, people’s voices are ignored and their knowledge and local resources are commodified. We see a system that is a collection of all of us -- our behavior, and decisions. There is a disconnect between the consumer, corporation and producer.
Every one of us is an actor in this system that violates the rights of humans and the environment. It’s not just those at the bottom who are hurt. Issues are not black and white; there is never one cause and never one solution.

Our newly formed relationships have reinforced these realizations:

• Globalization has perpetuated unsustainable management of our finite resources.
• By remaining indifferent we legitimize a system that routinely violates the rights of individuals and communities.
• As consumers our choices impact both the distribution of resources and the lives of people.


Our Guiding Principles:

To make positive change in the world we need to act on our firmly held principles of nonviolence, human dignity, and consciousness of the earth.

An effective movement is dynamic and responsive to the changing needs and beliefs of the world. It must be owned by everyone so that it dies with no one. As equals we recognize the potential for everyone to be leaders.

We believe in a world where government policies are made in conjunction with the people.

As individuals who have adopted these principles as the core of our consciousness, we resolve to fight for them on all levels: within ourselves, among one another, in larger structures, and with respect for the earth. Only through strong relationships, which build global solidarity, can sustainable and just change be achieved.

Our Goals:

• Create widespread consciousness of local and global issues.
• Build a larger global network through the cultivation of personal relationships.
• Understand and support necessary mechanisms for communication between all members of society.
• Make informed and responsible decisions by understanding our roles within the system.
• Reduce our impact on the earth through our lifestyle choices.
• Advocate for improved transparency in the current system.

Activism begins with awareness.

We believe in a world where no one is overlooked. We will act deliberately and with foresight to achieve these goals.

We are the people. We have the power to be heard.

In related news, I've heard about this communist bar in downtown Khon Kaen that I am excited to explore sometime soon. I hear they play Songs for Life -- incidentally the subject of my radio documentary.

In solidarity, comrads.


PS - I've been meaning to post this for a while, but here is the link to my group's second newsletter of the semester. I didn't contribute any writings this time, but my photography is featured throughout.

http://ciee.pfacs.googlepages.com/newsletter2-fall2007-highquality.pdf